Neighbor shot after dispute over dog

WALLED LAKE -- Chris Haney is passionate about being opposed to people who misreat animals, but there’s no way he would take someone’s life over one, he said.

“Somewhat paradoxically, I’m also a hunter,” said Haney. “For someone to take another life over a dog is just eggregious and gives people who own guns as tools a bad name.”

Haney, 45, and his parents were among many Tuesday night who heard at least seven shots coming from two doors down in his neighborhood in the 1100 block of Sigma Street that led to a 45-year-old man’s death. According to police, the 28-year-old suspect’s runaway dog is what sparked an argument that ended with the suspect firing rounds into his neighbor, killing him.

Haney and his mother, Judith, did the first thing they could think of when they heard the deafening shots. They called 9-1-1.

Advertisement

“I heard three really fast shots ... it seemed like whoever it was knew what they were doing,” Haney, a Walled Lake Schools soccer coach, said.

After a few seconds and hearing more gunshots, Haney heard the strained, muffled yells of who he thought was the victim, who’s only been identified as a 45-year-old man who lives at 1170 Sigma.

However, Vicki Adams, who was inside the house where the shooting occurred the following morning, said the 45-year-old victim’s first name was Edwin. As a dog barked inside the home, Adams showed reporters a photo of the victim, but would not identify herself or Edwin as the homeowners.

Walled Lake police said initial investigations revealed the 28-year-old suspect, who is said to live five houses down the road from the victim, allegedly was out looking for his own dog, came up to the his neighbor’s door and a conflict turned violent when three rapid shots were fired.

The victim died on his doorstep a short time later after several more shots rang out.

Investigators were working tirelessly Wednesday to present a case to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, and hoped to arraign the suspect by late afternoon.

As more information about the fatal shooting became available, Walled Lake Police Deputy Chief Bruce Kirby said several complaints about the suspect’s dogs had come from the neighborhood in the past.

The victim, who was unarmed, confronted the suspect about the dog getting loose in his yard, and the suspect opened fire, said police.

The suspect, who is a former Marine, is in custody awaiting homicide charges.